Question

With reference to Black soil answer the following:
i) Name one important crop which grows in this soil.
ii) Give one chemical property of this soil.

Answer 1

Hint: Soils are categorized based on their internal qualities as well as outward traits such as texture, color, land slope, and moisture content. When the black soil dries, it produces large fissures, which makes it self-ploughing.

Complete answer:
Black soil - Black soils are mineral soils having a black surface horizon that is at least 25 cm deep and enriched with organic carbon. There are two types of black soils (1st and 2nd categories). The black surface horizons have a base saturation of about 50%.

The majority of black soils come from the Deccan and Rajmahal traps, as well as ferruginous gneisses and schists found in Tamil Nadu. The former is appropriately deep, whilst the latter is mostly shallow.

(i) - Black soil is also known as cotton soil, and it is referred to as ‘Tropical Chernozems' globally. This is India's third-largest ethnic group. Cretaceous lava rocks make up this soil. This stretch includes Gujarat, Maharashtra, western Madhya Pradesh, northern Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand.

(ii) - Black soil is high in calcium, carbonate, and potassium, and it holds moisture well, thus it is sticky when wet and cracks when dry. The volcanic explosion produces black soil, which is extremely productive and ideal for intensive agriculture.

Note: During droughts, black soils are subjected to moisture stress. Organic carbon, nitrogen, sulphur, and phosphorus are all deficient in these soils. In shallow soils, water retention capacity is a crucial issue. When watered, deep soils are more susceptible to salt and sodicity, especially in the subsoil.